Ruling Polish party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski noted that Poland would also welcome a 50% increase in the number of US troops in Europe.
By REUTERS
The flag of Poland (illustrative).(photo credit: PIXABAY)
Poland would be open to having nuclear weapons stationed in the country, though this is not something currently under consideration, ruling Polish party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said in comments published Sunday as Warsaw calls for tougher action against Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine.
The politician noted that Poland would also welcome a 50% increase in the number of US troops in Europe.
The invasion of Ukraine, which Russian President Vladimir Putin called a “special military operation” to demilitarize its neighbor, has fueled security fears in states on NATO’s eastern flank.
The alliance has responded by increasing its presence in the region, announcing four more multinational battle groups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia last month.
“Poland would be pleased if the Americans increased their presence in Europe from the current 100,000 soldiers up to 150,000 in the future due to Russia’s increasing aggressiveness,” Kaczynski told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
“Of these, 75,000 soldiers should be stationed on the eastern flank; ie, on the border with Russia; 50,000 soldiers in the Baltic states and Poland,” he said in the interview, which was also published on the website of Poland’s ruling party Law and Justice (PiS).
There were roughly 80,000 US troops in Europe before Russian troops moved into Ukraine.